I have been stashing these pumpkin recipes for way too long, and I thought, ‘What better way to ring in fall than to shower you fellow fall lovers with some pumpkin recipe love from my Bloggers Gonna Blog Community gals?’

But first… I want to just say, ‘Thank you for all the gracious, kind, thoughtful comments that each one of you left on my post on digestion and my post on transformation photos.’

I thought this might be a fun Marvelous Monday to link up with Katie and Erin at Her Heartland Soul. Also, please pray for Katie’s baby; the little one is struggling right now. Thank you gals. 🙂

You provoked much thought over on my end; you disagreed graciously where you had a differing opinion, and I praise God that the posts were a blessing and a conversation starter for those issues.

Today’s Friday favorites is about 50 blessings, 50 blessings that have been really special to my heart lately. The more I’m counting my blessings, the more I realize how much God is gracious to us through our Lord Jesus Christ and how amazing the exceeding RICHES of His grace really is.

Thank you Heather and Katie for letting us share these blessings every week!

My #1 Blessing right now? I just am so amazed by God’s incredible grace to us shown through His Son Jesus Christ.

Where did we get the idea that there was an ideal weight for everybody to fit into? I’m not sure, but I know that it was something that I FOLLOWED with all of my gusto. I idolized the idea of an ideal weight. I wanted to be that weight, and I thought, in some way, that it would make me perfect.

What pulled me from that idea of achieving my ‘perfect weight?’

The grace of God pulled me from it. That’s really all I can say. The more I’ve realized that God knew I couldn’t save myself, that I could never be good enough, the more I’ve realized how much He loves me and covers me with the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ. Grace is unmerited favor. Ephesians 2: 4-9, ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God;Not of works, lest any man should boast.’

It was grace. God’s incredible grace saved me from the condemnation of His wrath against my sin. Grace saved me from the condemnation in my spirit and my soul that I would never be the ‘right person,’ that I was forever condemned by the imperfections, the sins in my life. No, I can’t be good, but LOVE is what is changing me. God knew that I was helpless. He made the way. His love is showing me that my life can be wholly devoted to nothing but Jesus Christ. The number on the scale, the calories in the food, the movies on the screen never filled this empty heart, but Jesus Christ fills even the most empty person to overflowing and makes the chained sinner FREE!

Now that I’m at the weight that I know God wants me to be at, by His grace alone, eating is more freeing. I’m reminded that eating isn’t about the eating. It’s more of a reminder of His goodness, His glory in creating all things so very good. Am I always grateful? Sadly, not. But I’m thankful that His grace continues to cover me and prompt me to more and more gratefulness every day.

I definitely had a few of these throughout the day… Who else’s favorite nut is the CASHEW?

Chobani was part of my lunch… Needless to say, Chobani does an amazing job on their yogurts. I’m so glad God gave someone the idea to culture milk. 🙂

My very first MUG cake! 🙂 The recipe was from Amanda!! The ease of making these mug cakes is unparalleled in the history of making desserts… It’s AMAZING. And I’m incredibly grateful that this was a HUGE recovery win for me. At lunch time I thought that a mug cake sounded really good for lunch. At least a year ago, I would have not wanted to eat anything but salad, because I wanted to be ‘healthy’, but today the mug cake sounded really good; so I went for it. I’m so glad that God leads and directs our paths, and that He made everything and called it ‘good.’ The more I see His purpose and His love for His own creation, the more I see just how much He made us to enjoy so many of His good gifts. <3 Oh the goodness of the riches of our great and awesome Heavenly Father!

I got the idea of creating a protein powder frosting from the body image vlogger, Josie Mai. Wow, it makes an amazing topping for pancakes. Sadly, my protein powder is all gone… 🙂 It was such a blessing. I’m thankful I got to use it in so many recipes.

Before I begin with the second one of my Peanut Butter Recipe Round-Ups, I have to share something that God has put on my heart. We’ve been going through this Bible Study called, ‘Behold Your God.’ Wow. It has humbled me and broken me so much, in a good way. I know that ‘whom the Lord loves He chastises’, and this bible study feels exactly like that. It has impressed one me the fact that God didn’t make me to focus on me. God made me for HIMSELF. God made me to worship Him.

We all want to focus on something, right? We want to focus on something rather than ourselves, because it can be depressing to just be internally focused, but what happens when we behold God?

Problems fade into the background, when I behold the loveliness of God, His holiness, His justice, His goodness, and truth. I am amazed that He can perfectly hate sin and in His justice provide the ONLY solution to save the brokenhearted, the blind, the bruised from that sin that separates us from Him.

Jesus said in Luke 4:18-19, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.’

Jesus came to remove the wall of sin between me and God so that I could enter the throne room of grace and behold God. Truly that is the best part of this time of singleness. I have had so much time to dig into the Scripture, to be convicted by its words that dismantle all my high conceptions of myself, and show me a clearer picture of who God is in His infinity. I can’t know God in entirety, because He is God, but this is the best adventure, ever, to seek after Him. It’s something that is just so big for me that it seems overwhelming, but I am thankful that God is with us in every step, drawing us to Himself.

With that my very ‘favoritest’ part of the Peanut Butter Round-Up Favorites are here from the Bloggers Gonna Blog Community. Today I have GOBS (literally gobs) of breakfast and snack recipes for every sort of tastebud. 🙂 You will find them all below, so let’s get started. One recipe at a time!

And so ends the 2nd of 3 ‘Peanut Butter Round-Ups’ from the AMAZING BGB Community. God has used them to bless me with so many recipes, especially for my dad as his diet has transitioned this year to gluten free.

The Life of the Writer

I live in the beautiful state of Colorado where 14ers are to give you all the sore legs you need, amazing skiing, plenty of other runners, glorious sunsets, majestic elk herds, and peaceful country roads with clear air.

Go Back in Time!

Go Back in Time!

I am a very ordinary girl. I’m 21, but if you met me, you wouldn’t believe me. I am passionate about girls finding true beauty in Christ. I love peanut butter, icecream, and salad. My hobbies are cooking, baking, sharing laughs and tears with others, and sharing the fullness of joy that Christ has put in me. I love reading other blogs, and I hope that this will be a place where you can find encouragement, recipes, smiles, and joy. Click here to read more about me...